Government of Ukraine and UNICEF discuss results of new study on the life of children and youth amid the full-scale war

On October 8, a meeting of representatives of the Government of Ukraine, UNICEF, international partners and the diplomatic corps took place in Kyiv, devoted to the situation of children and youth amid the full-scale war. Participants discussed the results of the new study and identified state policy priorities for supporting children, young people and families in Ukraine.

Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Matvii Bidnyi took part in the event and joined the Government's discussion of priorities, further plans and new needs in the area of youth policy.

During the event, the results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) of households, conducted by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine and UNICEF, were presented. The briefing and discussion highlighted what the data show about the lives of children and young people, how their needs differ across regions and, most importantly, how the findings can be taken into account when shaping policies, programs and investment priorities now and in the future.

This is the largest household survey in Ukraine during the war and the first of its kind in the past 14 years. It covered almost 16,200 households and more than 32,600 people.

Participants paid particular attention to how the study's results can be used to shape state policies, plan support programs and determine investment priorities.

During the Government discussion, with the participation of Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Matvii Bidnyi, further steps in the relevant areas of state policy were discussed. In particular, they spoke about the need to take young people's current needs into account in state programs, create conditions for their development and expand opportunities for self-realization.

"Youth policy must begin with understanding young people's real needs: where they live, what barriers they face, what opportunities they lack. Such studies give us a basis for specific decisions, so that state support meets young people's needs, and opportunities for development and self-realization are available regardless of place of residence," said Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Matvii Bidnyi.

For the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the study's results will serve as an additional analytical basis for shaping and improving youth policy, in particular on the accessibility of opportunities for young people in different communities across Ukraine.